Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1887-03-25

to foor-rcgardihg with anxious gaxo
the lovely form that gazcs back Mt her.
Once more sho would bo beautiful!
Once moro sho would DO pleasant In his
eyes HIS! In comparison with whom all
tho world IL poor.
ToNiighs her gown 10 bluo. A pale elcc-
trio blue, thatt throws into purer promin.
encc the startling fairness Of her neck Erd
arms. Sho II lingering now, torchin.
her dress here, and moving flower
there, debating all tho while what ornn-
mcnt shall nave tho honor of lying on
her pretty bosom.
Somo vague sense of OWL had warned
her ngains. tho cros8. No, she would not
wear that. IL had distressed doar Ln,ly
Valworth. had whitencd her fnce nnl
made her kind lirs stern; somc old mem
ory, sad aud angry, Ind been brought 10
mind by II. Not only that first timo when
she Ind given way to an exclamation,
hut again that second ttno when he--
Mn'ricc-NIr. Duran-hnd led her up TO
where sho stood, f.1iy' 'vniworth has
seemed painca. sIa, cold, unable TO give
her tho kindly smile that, up to thu
wearing Of that lucklcss cross, Ind ever
greeted her. No; certainly shc will not
wear it>-but-
There is tho sapphire pendent. That
lovely, sparkling thing that Paul, too,
h.h tsirch AK tllUt N9 yCI nN9 never
Eraccd her neck. Tue, ho had warned
her not 10 wear either II or tho cross l.,
cormonl Ho Ind got them through hia
business la aomc strauge wuY ho hail
failed to explain. They wero valuable;
too valuable TO bo worn publicly N yet,
until lic had mado his fortune end hers.
Too valuable to 30 worn Mt Mre. Drnad's,
for cXarnple. IIc had, indeed, mndo
her giye her promise not to wear them ut
Mrs. Drnnd',, aud sho had faithfully kept
that promi5o.
But -hcre. Ta had not surely calcu-
lated Oh the fnct Tint sho would ever -
herein such q house M this. If no lind
knowp, ho would havo been the nyst TO
tell her to make hersc,f look M charm
Ing M was possible TO her. He -,ould
have had htr no whit b,hind the rest
The very facl that ohio docs not loyo him
has made her the moro particular In tho
matter OF obeyin3 him. and now little
rang shoots acroRs her heart ns she won
dcrs whether ahc hai BEG, dent to hin
desires WHEN shs hung that diamond
cross Inst niaht around her neck. Ger
tainly IL had brought her no delight
no luck. 1t had hurt Lady TIlwur,ii, her
kind friend. II hud hurt Duran, too, In
some odd WY. She could not tell how
exactly, but he hsd asked her ono or two
| questions about It, and had refrnincd
| from praise Of It. even when shu laid IL In
his palm for inspection.
No; not tho cross. Tho sapphire pend
ant, rnthcy. She lifts IL fran is cnss
and raisca her rrm, above liar head and
clasps it round her neol, Aa she secs Il
giittcrinE upon her lovely skin, rhc
smiles softly 10 herself, nud bends for
ward full OF girlish delight at the beauty
| of ii, aud tells herself that Lcdy Val
worth will he pleased to SEQ her thus
bcdccked out TO do honor to th- home
coming CT her 6on. Capt Boylo-this
! dearly loved rnn, who 70 Nadine, Is rs yet
unknown, hut Of whom she has heard so
much.
With last lingering glance at the
mirror, that gives hnr bnct; her charms SO
truly, she leayca the room. rs yet It Is
carly for the arrival Of guests. apd hs she
enters the huge hall room she flndes>it. nl-
most deserted The llddlcrs arc tuning
their Instruments In II monotonouy luHu-
| brious way, end one or two people nrc
laughing at the lower end Of the room
The lights rs yet nrc dim, and Nadine cnn
| scacely sc- them. She wal&s quickly
| In their direction, her hcnrt beating
| Glndly with II sense OF youth and Joy, TINT
| no misery il the future hag power TO kill
| As she draws nearer tho laughter she can
see TINT her two or three have developed
into group. Duran IL here, and Gerald
Massarecnc; Mrs. Brand and Millicent.
AS Nadine comes up TO them come Of
! the scrvnntS turn up the lights to the
fullest, and quite glow OF brightness is
iiung upon the room. Duran steps for
| to her, but only holds out his hand ns If
In welcome. In reality, the soft nwecl
beauty of her has entered into him lnJ
stricken him dumb The luinpy arc shp
| ing upon her starry cycs, her red pq.tctl
| lips. her face so like flower. The
dainty, Shy glance, thdt lnlf bcspcnks
| the praise and half decries IL; the lovely
kissablo mouth, That would faIn tiny,
"Am I not good to look at, dear. my
lovey' yet breads 10 ray it; the bent, yet
proud little head, the tender, longing
smile, all appeal 10 him. Ills hand closes
upon hers. She ia his at this moment,
whatever other forlorn times tho ycara
may hold for him and her, and with tho
eager hand clasp llc lends her forward to
where the lamps shine clcnrcat-to where
| nll m.y sec how fair his love cen he.
lie turns TO make somo gay remark to
| Millicent, still holding Nadinc's hnnd,
\ but glnncc NJ Miss Grey'D face checks
him. She has grown positively livd.
She was full Of laughter Just minute
ago. but NOW nlrlh has died from her and
her lips arc all set aud stern, her color
| ghast,y.
'"TGke her awny-nnywlcrc! Into tho
next room," she avs IN u ton. Of sup.
pressed but passionate command TO Du.
ran. There is no need for him to ask ia
whom she nlludes- her eyes arc rlvctcd
upon Madness neck, where tho sapphire
pendant is resting calmly. Duran, who
is y man quicx 10 understand, sccntina
d:EScr in The air for her he loves draws
| f'ad.ne aside and presently takes her out
OF the room. A littls too late, however.
Mrs. Brand too had seen ana recognized
tho snpphircs!
The guests have all arrived, the ball Is
at its height. Yet still tho hero of 1t Il
absent There is, however, u midnight
train that will in all probability bring
him.
''It must. He hns mover failed mo yet u
says I.ndy Valworth, with rather wan
smile, who 10 feeling hurt and disap-
pointed.
Afillicent who hn5 been going about with
n nervous distressed mir all the night has
been regarded as model hanece by oil
/ tCr ;p1, r. a..